Last Updated on December 1, 2017

December 1, 2017 – Canada recorded its lowest unemployment rate for nearly a decade at the end of November 2017, dropping to 5.9 per cent with 79,500 more people in work.

The rate fell by 0.4 percentage points compared to October and is the lowest Canada has seen since February 2008.

Over the last 12 months, the number of people in work has risen by 390,000, or 2.1 per cent, with all of the gains in full time work. Unemployment is now almost a full percentage point down on this time last year.

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Provincially, Ontario recorded its lowest unemployment rate for more than 17 years at 5.5 per cent.

Young people, working age men and working age women all saw their unemployment rates drop, to 10.8 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 4.8 per cent respectively.

Among women aged 55 and older, employment rose by 32,000, with the rate dropping to 4.6 per cent. Over the last year, 94,000 more women in the older age bracket are in work, a rise of 5.4 per cent. Old men saw an unchanged unemployment rate of 6.2 per cent, consolidating a rise of 81,000 over the last 12 months.

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Canada’s Jobs Snapshot

	End October	End November
Unemployment rate (%)	6.3	5.9
Employment rate (%)	61.6	61.8
Labour force participation rate (%)	65.7	65.7
Number unemployed	1,235,400	1,156,500
Number working	18,489,400	18,568,900
Youth (15-24) unemployment rate (%)	11.1	10.8
Men (over 25) unemployment rate (%)	5.8	5.3
Women (over 25) unemployment rate (%)	5.1	4.8

Source: Statistics Canada

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Provincial Jobs Picture

Provincially, Ontario was the biggest mover in terms of jobs added, with 43,500 more people in work. Canada’s most populous province saw its unemployment rate fall 0.4 percentage points to 5.5 per cent, the lowest since July 2000. It has now added 181,000 full time jobs in the last 12 months, a gain of 2.6 per cent.

British Columbia also had a strong November, maintaining its lowest unemployment rate of all the provinces at 4.8 per cent. B.C. added 18,000 jobs on the month, with 12-month gains of 92,000, or 3.8 per cent.

Quebec, meanwhile, was a big mover in terms of unemployment rate, dropping 0.7 percentage points to 5.4 per cent after adding 16,000 jobs in November. The unemployment rate for the French-speaking province is at its lowest since 1976, when comparable records began. Some 78,000 jobs have been added in the last 12 months, a rise of 1.9 per cent.

The biggest provincial mover in terms of unemployment rate was Prince Edward Island, where an addition of 1,400 jobs saw unemployment sink 1.5 percentage points to 8.8 per cent in Canada’s least populous province. The Island has now added 2,500 jobs in the last 12 months, r arise of 3.5 per cent.

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Jobs Data in the Provinces

	Jobs change November	Unemployment rate (%)
1) British Columbia	18,200	4.8
2=) Manitoba	-2,500	5.4
2=) Quebec	16,200	5.4
4) Ontario	43,500	5.5
5) Saskatchewan	-600	6.0
6) Alberta	5,400	7.3
7) New Brunswick	2,700	8.3
8=) Nova Scotia	1,300	8.8
8=) Prince Edward Island	1,400	8.8
10) Newfoundland & Labrador	-500	14.4
CANADA	79,500	5.9

Source: Statistics Canada

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Jobs Date by Industry

Wholesale and retail trade was at the forefront of gains by industry, adding 39,000 jobs and a 12-month gain of 82,000, or 3 per cent.

Manufacturing saw a rise of 30,000, with a 5.4 per cent 12-month growth totalling 91,000 jobs.

Other monthly gains were seen in educational services (21,000) and construction (16,000).

Meanwhile, the private sector saw an increase of 72,000 jobs in November, while public sector and self-employed figures were little changed. All three show gains over the last 12 months, of 218,000, 88,000 and 85,000 respectively.

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